Founding:

Just like the mighty oak tree starts its life from the humble acorn, Continental Motors shares in that story of simple beginnings only to grow into one of the largest family of automotive dealerships in the State of Illinois. The acorn for Continental Motors was planted in 1961 when John and Herman Weinberger started a foreign car repair shop in Lyons, IL. Through hard work and a commitment to honesty, their reputation of providing excellent service grew among the well-represented sports car community in the area. The family of dealership then started its first limb with the opening of a Triumph store in 1962, setting the stage for their phenomenal transformation.

Growth:

In keeping with the theme of Continental Motors becoming the steadfast business that has been fertilized by integrity, the Weinbergers began opening more branches. The Toyota dealership came next in 1966 with its line of fuel-efficient cars. That venture was followed closely by another high-quality imported car store in the Honda rooftop in 1971 followed quickly by one of the top names in luxury performance cars in the Ferrari operation in 1974. The 1980s were boom time for much of the country and was reflected in Continental Motors continued explosive growth; opening a pair of stores with Nissan (1981) and Acura (1987). The highly successful 1990s was closed out with the founding of the Audi outlet in 1998. That success directly lead into the 21st century with opening of a trio of store in the decade of the millennium with the Maserati (2002), Scion (2004) and Mazda (2009) stores.

Commitment:

It would be easy for the Weinberger family, who is still in control of the various dealerships, to simple ride this wave of success. Even through the lean times that affected almost everybody in recent memory, Continental has stood behind their products and commitment to their customers. The entire team at all of the Continental Motors locations strive to bring the most thoughtful kind of service to their wide and diverse customer base. Those traditions started by John and Herman are reflected in the new generation of Weinbergers who are in charge now, with John’s sons Jay and Joel along with Herman’s daughter, Cheryl piloting the next phase of Continental Motor’s growth.

Future:

Continental Motors is one of the largest groups of automotive dealers in Illinois. All 550 people who staff the eight Continental Motors locations have bought into the philosophy of the Weinberger family who are poised to bring “miles and miles of smiles” to every single person who steps foot on the various properties. A new part of the growth for the Continental Motors family is embracing internet technology to make shopping and buying a new car, truck or SUV as easy and convenient as possible. From the entire staff at Continental Motors, we would like to extend an invitation to come visit us anytime. We can’t wait to work for you.